Selection Process:

There are up to sixteen places available on the course. Career Guidance teachers, School Liaisons and Youth workers/Leaders from other groups and organisations are invited to recommend teenagers on the basis of need and want. Priority will be given to those participants that are recommended as most likely to benefit from the course. Individuals are requested to submit a written application for the course.
A part-time co-ordinator is employed to liaise with participants, schools, tutors and sponsors. His/her duties include programme planning, facilitation, analysis and reporting.

Programme Content:

Module 1: Team Building Day:

Being an ideal introduction to the course, young people work together as a group at solving practical tasks, using individual and team skills. The group gets the opportunity to develop important communication and team skills, which will be essential throughout the course. It is also ideal for forming friendship and building trust.

Module 2: Personal Development:
This section deals with issues which affect and concern teenagers including peer-pressure, self-awareness, self-esteem, self-confidence, assertiveness, aggression and passiveness.
 
Module 3: Health & Fitness:

The participants will get the opportunity to explore and learn new ways of enjoying healthy living focusing on issues that concern them the most i.e.: diet and nutrition, physical activities,  foods that can elevate mood, clear up acne, etc.

Module 4: Internet & Phone Safety:
This session will raise awareness on how to stay alert while using cyber and digital media.  Topics such as: protecting identity and reputation, social networking, abuse / harassment will be discussed thoroughly. A case study will be done in order to show teenagers the impact of cyber bullying. This will help teenagers make informative decisions on what they should upload as well as download.

Module 5: Positive Mental Health:
This session aims at creating awareness around teenagers’ own mind health. Practical thoughts, role plays will be used in order to help participants define what mental health is. Stress, depression, anxiety / burnout, eating disorders, emotional health, body image/ appearance nail care, hair care, skin care, will be tackled as well. Teenagers will be able to create an informed knowledge on why do they respond differently to all these issues and how to manage them.

Module 6: Substance Misuse:

This module comprises two separate sessions on drugs and alcohol misuse. The topics will be tackled through the provision of important relevant and factual information. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their opinions and knowledge in a safe and friendly environment.

Module 7: Separation & Bereavement:
Family, Relationship breakups, Bereavement are some of the main issues teenagers deal with at the moment according to our survey carried out. Being dumped, neglected, emotionally abused, and domestic violence in general are also big issues that teenagers need to accumulate information about. Therefore, this session will be mainly focused on the impact caused by these issues on teenagers and how to deal with them.

Module 8: Sexual Health:

The Sexual Health module comprises six sessions that will help teenagers make informed choices regarding their sexual and general health. The sessions will include games, quizzes, and discussions and will get young people involved in the process throughout. The module also aims at helping the young people discuss sexual health issues in an open and honest way and inform them about different forms of contraception and the realities and dangers of STI’s.

As an incentive to the participants, a residential weekend will take place at the end of the programme, which will include outdoor pursuits, sporting and recreational activities as well as other social activities. This weekend is paramount in displaying to the participants the benefits of sporting and recreational activities.

  At the end of each module, participants are assessed by the facilitators using a variety of methods including attendance, participation, practical and project work. Certificates of Merit are awarded

Duration of Course:

The course runs for approximately fourteen weeks. Teenagers attend one night per week (Wednesday) for the duration of 2.5 hours each night.

Contact Person:        Vera Potoraca at 051-855036 or 087-2510333
                                   or E-mail at: info@childrensgrouplink.ie

Introductory session 1:
• Introductions (Meet the facilitators)
• Contracting
• Ice breaker games

Module 1:
Team Building Day
Facilitator:
Brendan Halligan – Manager of Childrens Group Link
Denise Kenneally - Team Building Instructor
Session includes the following:
• Spider’s web
• Skis
• Nuclear waste
• Snookered
• Lateral thinking puzzles

Module 2:
Personal Development
Facilitator:
Audrey Casey- Honors B.A in Applied Social Studies
                            Diploma in General Counselling & Psychometric testing
                            Certificate in Mental Health Studies
Sessions include the following:
• Self-awareness
• Self-esteem
• Self-confidence
• Assertiveness
• Aggression and Passiveness

  Sports/Recreational Activity : Martial Arts

Module 3 :
Health & Fitness
Facilitator:
Lisa Gayle - Health and Fitness Instructor 
Sessions include the following:
• Diet & Nutrition
• Healthy Living
• Physical Activities
• Feelings & Moods
  Sports/Recreational Activity : Circuit Training

Module 4:
Cyber & Phone safety
Facilitator:
Audrey Casey (as previously stated in Module 1)
Cyber Safety sessions include:         
• Cyber bullying
• Protecting Identity and Reputation
• Social Networking
• Abuse / Harassment
Phone Safety sessions include:
• Bullying by phone
• Sexting
 
  Sports/Recreational Activity : Snag Golf

Module 5:

Positive Mental Health
Facilitator:
  Joan Power - Mental Health Course Facilitator in W.I.T.
                 Coordinator of Befriending Society
Sessions include the following:
• Depression
• Anxiety /Stress / Burnout
• Eating disorders
• Emotional Health
• Body Image

  Sports/Recreational Activity :Laughter Yoga/ Relaxation

Module 6:
Substance Misuse
Facilitator:
Andy Hargreaves - Drug Education Officer H.S.E (Free of charge to Group Link)
SESSION 1: Drugs
• Group agreement
• What is a drug?
• Attitudes towards various drugs.
• Stereotypes of drug users
• Pleasures and problems associated with   drug use.
• Attitudes towards drug users

  Sports/Recreational Activity :Tag Rugby

 SESSION 2:
• Focused debate on various drug issues
• Motivations behind risk taking behaviour
• In depth look at issues associated with alcohol
• Drug quiz
• Where do we go for help with drug related problems?
• Where can we find resources and information?
• Evaluation
  Sports/Recreational Activity :Dodge Ball

Module 7:
Family /Relationship breakups & Bereavement
 St. Bridgids Family Support Centre/ Rainbows (unconfirmed)
Sessions include the following:
                          
• Divorce /separation,
• Being dumped, neglected
• Abusive  relationships, aggression
• Emotional abuse
• Domestic violence

  Sports/Recreational Activity :Self-Defence

Module 8:
Sexual Health
Facilitator:
 Maire Morrissey -  Squashy Couch, Project Manager (She will get the professional failitators to do the  workshops, free of charge)
Session 1: What is sex?       
Session 2: Sex and Relationships
Session 3: The body and reproduction
Session 4: Contraception
Session 5: Using Contraception
Session 6: STI’s
  Sports/Recreational Activities :Circuit Training/Self Defence/Fun & Teambuilding games/Soccer/Aerobics

Sports & Recreational Activities
Sports sampling activities will promote physical and fun activities (about 60 minutes at the end of each session) such as:
 Circuit training
Yoga / Laughing Yoga
Martial arts
Self-defence
Aerobics / Aqua Aerobics
Fun games/ teambuilding 
Football/ Soccer/ Handball/Dodge ball/ Hurling/Snag Golf/ Dance, Tag Rugby, etc.
This promotes in a light hearted manner how the participants can have fun and be healthy.
As well as the sport sampling outdoor pursuits such as: hill walking, Cycling, canoeing, will be used to promote well-being and provide an alternative to anti-social behaviour.

Residential Weekend
As an incentive to the participants, a residential weekend will take place at the end of the programme, which will include sporting and recreational activities as well as other social activities. This weekend is paramount in displaying to the participants the benefits of sporting and recreational activities.